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silence, and give him no rest, till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee."

Correspondence, Extracts, &c.

LETTER FROM B. D., ON PARADISE AND ETERNAL LIFE.

(Continued from p. 276.)

The fourth and last dish to be placed before the blessed in the world to come, is to consist of fatted geese. This is plainly to be deduced from a matter of fact related in the Talmud tract

אמר רבה בר בר חנה זימנה החא הוה קא :2 .Bava Bathra, fol. 13, col

a prix, q. d. “Rabbah, grandson of Chanai, said, We once went in a desert, and we saw geese whose feathers fell out on account of their fatness, and streams of fat flowed behind them. And I said to them, Have we a part in you in the world to come? Then one raised her wing, and another her leg," [to indicate the portions which should fall to their lot].

It is very natural to expect that with such a meal, the wine should not be forgotten; but to prove this, alas, one of the most comforting passages of Scripture is cited, viz. Isa. lxiv. 4, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." We allude to the Talm. tract Sanhedrim, fol. 99, col.1: ín as my T

d. " What is meant by the . יין המשומר בענביו מששת ימי בראשית

words, neither hath the eye seen? R. Jehosha, son of Levi, said, The wine preserved in its grapes from the days of the creation of the world."

However puerile the idea in itself, and however far from the contents of the verse just quoted, we may be told here, as in many of the like fables, by the votaries of the Talmud, that it is but an allegory, though we do not now understand its precise meaning. That, however, such is not the case with this doctrine, but that it forms one of the hopes held out by the Rabbies, is evident from the same expression being found and used by the Chaldee paraphrase of Cant. viii. 2, where it is said, '1 NOD Nɔbo pr78. q. d. "I will lead thee, O King Messiah, and bring thee into my temple, and thou shalt teach me to fear the Lord and to walk in his ways. There we shall likewise partake of the feast of Leviathan, and drink the old wine which is preserved in its grapes from the day

when the world was created, and eat of the pomegranates and fruits which are prepared for the just in Paradise."

Do we, finally, cast a glance upon what the rabbies say about the virtues of these meats, we are led to judge them out of their own mouth. In Shulchan arba, fol. 9, col. 2, we are told,

d. * The virtue of these meats . מעלת המאכלים האלה עצומה מאד וכו

is very great, to sharpen the understanding and to purify the heart, like the manna with which the generation of the desert has been favoured, which was like a cake with honey, and derived from the superior light." If then the virtue of these meats is not greater than that of the manna in the wilderness, which, with all its efficacy, could not preserve them that ate thereof from sin and death, as it is said, "Their carcases fell in the wilderness:" so surely will be the end of those who have no better food in prospect and know not the true manna which is Jesus Christ, the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of that bread he shall live for ever: and the bread that he gives is his flesh, which he has given for the

life of the world."

PROPOSED RABBINICAL SEMINARY.

(From the "Jewish Intelligence.")

B.D.

ONE of the most remarkable features in the history of Israel is found in their unwearied, unabated attachment to sacred literature. The most severe sufferings, and most distressing poverty, have not quenched the thirst for knowledge, which has prevailed, and does prevail, most strongly in the hearts of thousands and millions of Jews. During successive ages they have spent their days and their nights in meditating upon the law of their God. They have, alas! been perverted by the traditions of men; but though perverted, they have not lost their love for the sacred treasure of revealed truth; and while they have been despised as if they were the most sordid and avaricious of mankind, they have thought no sacrifice too great to promote the knowledge of that law which they have so diligently studied.

long

The recent changes which have been introduced in many things considered sacred in Israel, have not abated their ardour. In the eager pursuit after reform, they have lost sight of some things that are good, while they have got rid of much that is useless and injurious. But they have not ceased to be an intellectual, inquiring people; they show, as they always have shown, that they are eminently an "understanding people;" and that, though grievously turned aside for a season by the doctrines and precepts of men, their attachment to that which they consider sacred, will be found still to qualify them most eminently for their high and holy

vocation as witnesses for God's truth, as those to whom were committed the oracles of God, and by whom they have been proIclaimed to the world.

We have a remarkable instance of this attachment to the study of sacred literature in the proposal contained in the "Zion's Wächter," for July last, for the establishment of a new Rabbinical Seminary. Such institutions have abounded among the Jews, have been maintained by most liberal contributions, given readily by many who could scarcely have been expected, from the amount of means at their command, to aid in such undertakings; and we see the same zeal, the same liberality on the present occasion.

Several of the proposed regulations well deserve notice.

66 It is intended that one-half of the students admitted shall be boarded, and lodged, and instructed gratuitously."

"Great care is to be taken that every student shall obtain a thorough knowledge of the Rabbinical system; for although every candidate on admission must show on examination, that he is thoroughly acquainted with, 1st, the Hebrew Bible; 2nd, the best commentaries on the same, especially 3rd, Hebrew grammar; 4th, That he possesses such a knowledge of the Gemara as will enable him to understand and explain any part that may be selected for examination, as well as the chief commentaries on it and ; and 5th, have made some progress in the study of the Rabbinical decisions DDD, together with a knowledge of German, mathematics, history, and geography; the course of study is to last eight years. During this long period there are no vacations except on the sabbath-days, and on those days kept holy by the Jews."

"The students are to be instructed nine hours daily, six in the Jewish religion, and three in general knowledge."

"The Gemara is to be the chief subject studied."

Thus, then, we have another example of that great diligence and immense labour, assisted by the benevolence, which have so long distinguished the Jews.

No doubt the health of the body must suffer from such longprotracted, unremitting study. After listening to the instruction of the teachers for nine hours every day, and attending to the studies indispensably necessary as a preparation for the lectures, the physical powers must be exhausted; and every one who has known a considerable number of Talmudical students, must have often noticed the painful results of such excessive exertions.

The simple truth is, tradition is a hard master; it has seized upon and vitiated that which was most noble and most excellent. We think of the stupendous exertions of our Jewish brethren in the study of their Rabbinical system, with respect for the intensity of purpose and the ardour of mind which are displayed in the pursuit; and with earnest prayer that speedily the happy time

may come, when they shall all be led to turn this energy of mind to the noblest purposes, and, drinking of the pure waters of God's holy word, shall be refreshed themselves, and teach others in its purity and its power, that which they have so long held fast, even while under the influence of many serious errors.

Entelligence.

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE JEWS.

AMSTERDAM.

In our last number it was announced that the Committee had engaged a colporteur for Holland (Mr. Cohen.) The Secretary has received a letter from him dated October 29th, 1846, from which we make the following extracts:

"Mr. Vos, Dr. Capadose, and Mr. Da Costa, have consulted together and have come to the resolution that for the present I should remain in Amsterdam, where there is vast field for labour. There are about thirty-six thousand Jews in this city, for the most part, living in the Jews' quarter: the bulk of these are in rabbinical bondage, and are very ignorant and bigoted. The rabbies have prohibited the Jews from accepting tracts from any Meshumad (for so they call every believing Israelite); I am, therefore, obliged to watch for opportunities when I can find them alone: two days ago I happened to give a tract to one who showed it to some others, and I was immediately surrounded by a crowd, and I was obliged to enter a shop for shelter; this, however, does not discourage me, as I know for whom I labour, and pray fervently to my Lord and Saviour to be with me and to preserve me from the hands of the benighted Jews. I have visited some in their houses, and am sometimes well received, and at other times insulted. Mr. Da Costa is well pleased with the contents of my journal, which I show him every Monday; the next time I write I will send you an abstract of it."

Extracts of a Letter from Mr. Vos, dated Amsterdam, October 20th, 1846.

"The following day we attended the meeting, when, after the discussion of one or two topics, the establishment of a Netherland Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the Jews, was proposed by Dr. Capadose; the motion was generally well received. We have made final arrangements with Dr. Da Costa, who has agreed to take the oversight of Cohen, with the help of the Committee, which is to be formed in connexion with their own society. The Rev. Mr. Jamieson, the episcopal minister at Amsterdam, is very kind to Cohen, and we may expect the co-operation of Christian friends in Holland. I think it cause for joy that the

exertions of our Society should have stirred up the Dutch to wipe away the stain of national indifference towards the Jews."

Extracts of a Letter from Dr. Capadose, dated October 17th, 1846.

"I avow to you, very dear friends, that your zeal, your ardent desire to be useful to the children of Abraham, have awakened in me a very deep and lively emotion: you have excited in me a holy jealousy. No! I cannot suffer that this shame should remain upon the Christians of Holland, that it should be our brethren of England who pray, work, and send forth labourers into Holland, while we content ourselves with seeing you in action. We must absolutely wipe off this disgrace. We hope to be able to announce to you that all is in activity amongst us in this respect; every month we shall have a prayer meeting for Israel, a colporteur will be employed by ourselves, and I beg you to aid us by your counsels, your prayers, your tracts, in order that our little Society scarcely born may increase."

ENGLAND.

Missionaries' Letters and Journals.

From Mr. J.

"There is a great stir amongst the Jews here in consequence of L.'s conversion to Christ. Many and great have been their attempts to draw him aside: they have twice by force dragged him before the Rabbi, and tried with great earnestness to persuade him to renounce the faith which he has embraced. Every possible inducement has been set before him,-money has been offered in large sums, but all their devices have availed nothing. The language of Mr. L. was, 'I dare not sell the truth for money; I cannot sell my hope, my soul, my body, and my God, for perishing and vain things; no, the truth is better than gold and silver, and all the riches of the world are not to be compared to it.' He added, 'I have found Jesus to be the true and only Saviour, and in him alone I trust for the salvation of my immortal soul.' This faithful testimony to the truth stirred up rage against Mr. L. in the minds of all the Jews here, and they sent for him on Saturday last, as they were anxious to have another conversation with him, and they requested that he would bring his Bible: he went rejoicing in the opportunity of speaking to his brethren about Christ. When he arrived they again pressed him to renounce Christianity, and placed great temptations before him, but he told them that he would rather suffer hunger and thirst for righteousness' sake, and endure all manner of persecutions for Christ's sake than return again into error, sin, and ignorance. After some further conversation they all fell upon him, beat him most shamefully, tore his clothes, and scattered the few shillings he had all

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